V. J 


THE 


ONSTITUTION 

CF THE 

UNITED STATES 
OF AMERICA 


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WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1920 















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MAr 26 J320 



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We the People of the United States, in Order 
to form a more perfect Union, establish Jus¬ 
tice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for 
the common defence, promote the general 
Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty 
to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and 
establish this Constitution for the Unitea 
States of America. 

ARTICLE L 

Section 1. All legislative Powers herein 
granted shall be vested in a Congress of the 
United States, which shall consist of a Senate 
and House of Representatives. 

Section 2. The House of Representatives 
shall be composed of Members chosen every 
second Year by the People of the several States, 
and the Electors in each State shall have the 
Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most 
numerous Branch of the State Legislature. 

No Person shall be a Representative who 
shall not have attained to the Age of twenty- 
five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of 

(3) 


4 


the United States, and who shall not, when 
elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which 
he shall be chosen. 

[Representatives and direct Taxes shall be 
apportioned among the several States which 
may be included within this Union, according 
to their respective Numbers, which shall be 
determined by adding to the whole Number of 
free Persons, including those bound to Service 
for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not 
taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.] The 
actual Enumeration shall be made within three 
Years after the first Meeting of the Congress 
of the United States, and within every subse¬ 
quent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as 
they shall by Law direct. The Number of Rep¬ 
resentatives shall not exceed one for every 
thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at 
Least one Representative; and until such enu¬ 
meration shall be made, the State of New 
Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, 
Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Provi¬ 
dence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New- 
York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, 
Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, 
North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and 
Georgia three, 


5 


When vacancies happen in the Representa¬ 
tion from any State, the Executive Authority 
thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill 
such Vacancies. 

The House of Representatives shall chuse 
their Speaker and other Officers; and shall 
have the sole Power of Impeachment. 

Section. 3. The Senate of the United States 
shall be composed of two Senators from each 
State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six 
Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote. 

Immediately after they shall be assembled in 
Consequence of the first Election, they shall be 
divided as equally as may be into three Classes. 
The Seats of the Senators of the first Class 
shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second 
Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of 
the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the 
Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one-third 
may be chosen every second Year; and if Va¬ 
cancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, 
during the Recess of the Legislature of any 
State, the Executive thereof may make tem¬ 
porary Appointments until the next Meeting of 
the Legislature, which shall then fill such Va¬ 
cancies. 


6 


No Person shall be a Senator who shall not 
have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and 
been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, 
and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabit¬ 
ant of that State for which he shall be chosen. 

The Vice President of the United States shall 
be President of the Senate, but shall have no 
Vote, unless they be equally divided. 

The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, 
and also a President pro tempore, in the ab¬ 
sence of the Vice President, or when he shall 
exercise the Office of President of the United 
States. 

The Senate shall have the sole Power to try 
all Impeachments. When sitting for that Pur¬ 
pose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. 
When the President of the United States is 
tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no 
Person shall be convicted without the Concur¬ 
rence of two thirds of the Members present. 

Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not 
extend further than to removal from Office, and 
disqualification to hold any enjoy any Office 
of honor, Trust or Profit under the United 
States: but the Party convicted shall neverthe¬ 
less be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, 
Judgment and Punishment, according to Law. 


7 


Section. 4. The Times, Places and Manner of 
holding Elections for Senators and Representa¬ 
tives, shall be prescribed in each State by the 
Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at 
any time by Law make or alter such Regula¬ 
tions, except as to the Places of Chusing 
Senators. 

The Congress shall assemble at least once in 
every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the 
first Monday in December, unless they shall 
by Law appoint a different Day. 

Section. 5. Each House shall be the Judge 
of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications 
of its own Members, and a Majority of each 
shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but 
a smaller Number may adjourn from day to 
day, and may be authorized to compel the At¬ 
tendance of absent Members, in such Manner, 
and under such Penalties as each House may 
provide. 

Each House may determine the Rules of its 
Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly 
Behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two 
thirds, expel a Member. 

Each House shall keep a Journal of its 
Procedings, and from time to time publish the 
same, excepting such Parts as may in their 


8 


Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and 
Nays of the Members of either House on any 
question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of 
those Present, be entered on the Journal. 

Neither House, during the Session of Con¬ 
gress, shall, without the Consent of the other, 
adjourn for more than three days, nor to any 
other Place than that in which the two Houses 
shall be sitting. 

Section. 6 . The Senators and Representa¬ 
tives shall receive a Compensation for their 
Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid 
out of the Treasury of the United States. They 
shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and 
Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest 
during their Attendance at the Session of their 
respective Houses, and in going to and return¬ 
ing from the same; and for any Speech or 
Debate in either House, they shall not be ques¬ 
tioned in any other Place. 

No Senator or Representative shall, during 
the Time for which he was elected, be ap¬ 
pointed to any civil Office under the Authority 
of the United States, which shall have been 
created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have 
been encreased during such time; and no Per¬ 
son holding any Office under the United States, 


9 


shall be a Member of either House during his 
Continuance in Office. 

Section. 7. All Bills for raising Revenue shall 
originate in the House of Representatives; but 
the Senate may propose or concur with Amend¬ 
ments as on other Bills. 

Every Bill which shall have passed the House 
of Representatives and the Senate, shall, be¬ 
fore it become a Law, be presented to the 
President of the United States; If he approve 
he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, 
with his Objections to that House in which it 
shall have originated, who shall enter the Ob¬ 
jections at large on their Journal, and proceed 
to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration 
two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the 
Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objec¬ 
tions, to the other House, by which it shall 
likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by 
two thirds of that House, it shall become a 
Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both 
Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, 
and the Names of the Persons voting for and 
against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal 
of each House respectively. If any Bill shall 
not be returned by the President within ten 
Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have 
171293°—20-2 



10 


been presented to him, the Same shall be a 
Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, un¬ 
less the Congress by their Adjournment prevent 
its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law. 

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which 
the Concurrence of the Senate and House of 
Representatives may be necessary (except on a 
question of Adjournment) shall be presented to 
the President of the United States; and before 
the Same* shall take Effect, shall be approved 
by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be 
repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House 
of Representatives, according to the Rules and 
Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill. 

Section 8. The Congress shall have Power To 
lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Ex¬ 
cises, to pay the Debts and provide for the 
common Defence and general Welfare of the 
United States; but all Duties, Imposts and 
Excises shall be uniform throughout the United 
States; 

To borrow money on the credit of the United 
States; 

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, 
and among the several States, and with the 
Indian Tribes; 


11 


To establish an uniform Rule of Naturaliza¬ 
tion., and uniform Laws on the subject of Bank¬ 
ruptcies throughout the United States; 

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, 
and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of 
Weights and Measures; 

To provide for the Punishment of counter¬ 
feiting the Securities and current Coin of the 
United States; 

To establish Post Offices and post Roads; 

To promote the Progress of Science and use¬ 
ful Arts, by securing for limited Times to 
Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to 
their respective Writings and Discoveries; 

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the su¬ 
preme Court; 

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies 
committed on the high Seas, and Offenses 
against the Law of Nations; 

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and 
Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures 
on Land and Water; 

To raise and support Armies, but no Appro¬ 
priation of Money to that Use shall be for a 
longer Term than two Years; 

To provide and maintain a Navy; 


12 


To make Rules for the Government and 
Regulation of the land and naval Forces; 

To provide for calling forth the Militia to 
execute the Laws of the Union, suppress In¬ 
surrections and repel Invasions; 

To provide for organizing, arming, and disci¬ 
plining the Militia, and for governing such 
Part of them as may be employed in the Serv¬ 
ice of the United States, reserving to the States 
respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, 
and the Authority of training the Militia ac¬ 
cording to the discipline prescribed by Con¬ 
gress ; 

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases 
whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding 
ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of par¬ 
ticular States, and the acceptance of Congress, 
become the Seat of the Government of the 
United States, and to exercise like Authority 
over all Places purchased by the Consent of 
the Legislature of the State in which the Same 
shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, 
Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Build¬ 
ings ;—And 

To make all Laws which shall be necessary 
and proper for carrying into Execution the 
foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested 


13 


by this Constitution in the Government of the 
United States, or in any Department or Officer 
thereof. 

Section 9. The Migration or Importation of 
such Persons as any of the States now existing 
shall think proper to admit, shall not be pro¬ 
hibited by the Congress prior to the Year one 
thousand eight hundred and eight, but a tax 
or duty may be imposed on such Importation, 
not exceeding ten dollars for each Person. 

The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus 
shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases 
of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may 
require it. 

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law 
shall be passed. 

No capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be 
laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or 
Enumeration herein before directed to be taken. 

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles 
exported from any State. 

No Preference shall be given by any Regula¬ 
tion of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of 
one State over those of another: nor shall Ves¬ 
sels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to 
enter, clear, or pay Duties in another. 


14 


No Money shall be drawn rrom the Treas¬ 
ury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made 
by Law; and a regular Statement and Account 
of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public 
Money shall be published from time to time. 

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the 
United States: And no Person holding any 
Office of Profit or Trust under them,- shall, 
without the Consent of the Congress, accept of 
any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any 
kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or for¬ 
eign State. 

Section 10. No State shall enter into any 
Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Let¬ 
ters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money ; emit 
Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and 
silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; 
pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, 
or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, 
or grant any Title of Nobility. 

No State shall, without the Consent of the 
Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports 
or Exports, except what may be absolutely 
necessary for executing it’s inspection Laws: 
and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, 
laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall 


15 


be for the Use of the Treasury of the United 
States; and all such Laws shall be subject to 
the Revision and Controul of the Congress. 

No State shall, without the Consent of Con¬ 
gress, lay any duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, 
or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into 
any Agreement or Compact with another State, 
or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, 
unless actually invaded, or in such imminent 
Danger as will not admit of delay. 

ARTICLE II. 

Section 1. The executive Power shall be 
vested in a President of the United States of 
America. He shall hold his Office during the 
Term of four Years, and, together with the 
Vice-President, chosen for the same Term, be 
elected, as follows 

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as 
the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number 
of Electors, equal to the whole Number of 
Senators and Representatives to which the 
State may be entitled in the Congress: but no 
Senator or Representative, or Person holding 
an Office of Trust or Profit under the United 
States, shall be appointed an Elector. 


16 


[The Electors shall meet in their respective 
States, and vote by Ballot for two persons, of 
whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant 
of the same State with themselves. And they 
shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, 
and of the Number of Votes for each; which 
List they shall sign and certify, and transmit 
sealed to the Seat of the Government of the 
United States, directed to the President of the 
Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in 
the Presence of the Senate and House of Repre¬ 
sentatives, open all the Certificates, and the 
Votes shall then be counted. The Person hav¬ 
ing the greatest Number of Votes shall be the 
President, if such Number be a Majority of the 
whole Number of Electors appointed; and if 
there be more than one who have such Ma¬ 
jority, and have an equal Number of Votes, 
then the House of Representatives shall imme¬ 
diately chuse by Ballot one of them for Presi¬ 
dent; and if no Person have a Majority, then 
from the five highest on the List the said 
House shall in like Manner chuse the Presi¬ 
dent. But in chusing the President, the Votes 
shall be taken by States, the Representation 
from each State having one Vote; A quorum 
for this Purpose shall consist of a Member 


17 


or Members from two-thirds of the States, and 
a Majority of all the States shall be necessary 
to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice 
of the President, the Person having the greatest 
Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the 
Vice President. But if there should remain 
two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate 
shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice- 
President.] 

The Congress may determine the Time of 
chusing the Electors, and the Day on which 
they shall give their Votes; which Day shall 
be the same throughout the United States. 

No person except a natural born Citizen, or 
a Citizen of the United States, at the time of 
the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eli¬ 
gible to the Office of President; neither shall 
any Person be eligible to that Office who shall 
not have attained to the Age of thirty-five 
Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident 
within the United States. 

In Case of the Removal of the President 
from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or 
Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties 
of the said Office, the same shall devolve oil 
the Vice President, and the Congress may by 


171293°—20-3 


18 


Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, 
Resignation or Inability, both of the President 
and Vice President, declaring what Officer 
shall then act as President, and such Officer 
shall act accordingly, until the Disability be 
removed, or a President shall be elected. 

The President shall, at stated Times, receive 
for his Services, a Compensation, which shall 
neither be encreased nor diminished during 
the Period for which he shall have been elected, 
and he shall not receive within that Period 
any other Emolument from the United States, 
or any of them. 

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, 
he shall take the following Oath or Affirma¬ 
tion:—“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that 
I will faithfully execute the Office of President 
of the United States, and will to the best of 
my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the 
Constitution of the United States.” 

Section 2. The President shall be Com¬ 
mander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the 
United States, and of the Militia of the several 
States, when called into the actual Service of 
the United States; he may require the Opinion 
in writing, of the principal Officer in each of 
the executive Departments, upon any subject 


19 


relating to the Duties of their respective 
Offices, and he shall have Power to Grant Re¬ 
prieves and Pardons for Offenses against the 
United States, except in Cases of Impeachment. 

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice 
and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, 
provided two-thirds of the Senators present 
concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with 
the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall ap¬ 
point Ambassadors, other public Ministers and 
Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all 
other Officers of the United States, whose Ap¬ 
pointments are not herein otherwise provided 
for, and which shall be established by Law: 
but the Congress may by Law vest the Appoint¬ 
ment of such inferior Officers, as they think 
proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of 
Law, or in the Heads of Departments. 

The President shall have Power to fill up all 
Vacancies that may happen during the Recess 
of the Senate, by granting Commissions which 
shall expire at the End of their next Session. 

Section 3. He shall from time to time give to 
the Congress Information of the State of the 
Union, and recommend to their Consideration 
such Measures as he shall judge necessary and 
expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, 


20 


convene both Houses, or either of them, and in 
Case of Disagreement between them, with Re¬ 
spect to the Time of Adjournment, he may 
adjourn them to such Time as he shall think 
proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other 
public Ministers; he shall take Care that the 
Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Com¬ 
mission all the Officers of the United States. 

Section 4. The President, Vice President and 
all civil Officers of the United States, shall be 
removed from Office on Impeachment for, and 
Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high 
Crimes and Misdemeanors. 

ARTICLE III. 

Section 1. The judicial Power of the United 
States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, 
and in such inferior Courts as the Congress 
may from time to time ordain and establish. 
The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior 
Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Be¬ 
haviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for 
their Services a Compensation which shall not 
be diminished during their Continuance in 
Office. 

Section 2. The judicial Power shall extend 
to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under 


21 


this Constitution, the Laws of the United 
States, and Treaties made, or which shall be 
made, under their Authority;—to all Cases 
affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers 
and Consuls;—to all Cases of admiralty and 
maritime Jurisdiction;—to Controversies to 
which the United'States shall be a Party;—to 
Controversies between two or more States;— - 
between a State and Citizens of another 
State;—between Citizens of different States ;— 
between Citizens of the same State claiming 
Lands under Grants of different States, and 
between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and 
foreign States, Citizens or Subjects. 

In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other 
public Ministers and Consuls, and those in 
which a State shall be Party, the supreme 
Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all 
the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme 
Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as 
to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and 
under such Regulations as the Congress shall 
make. 

The trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of 
Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial 
shall be held in the State where the said 
Crimes shall have been committed; but when 


22 


not committed within any State, the Trial 
shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress 
may by Law have directed. 

Section 3. Treason against the United 
States, shall consist only in levying War 
against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, 
giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person 
shall be convicted of Treason unless on the 
Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt 
Act, or on Confession in open Court. 

The Congress shall have power to declare the 
Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of 
Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or 
Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person 
attainted. 

ARTICLE IV. 

Section 1. Full Faith and Credit shall be 
given in each State to the public Acts, Records, 
and judicial Proceedings of every other State. 
And the Congress may by general Law r s pre¬ 
scribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records 
and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect 
thereof. 

Section 2. The Citizens of each State shall 
be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of 
Citizens in the several States. 


23 


A Person charged in any State with Treason, 
Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from 
Justice, and be found in another State, shall on 
demand of the executive Authority of the State 
from which he fled, be delivered up, to be re¬ 
moved to the State having Jurisdiction of the 
Crime. 

No Person held to Service or Labour in one 
State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into 
another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or 
Regulation therein, be discharged from such 
Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on 
Claim of the Party to whom such Service or 
Labour may be due. 

Section 3. New States may be admitted by 
the Congress into this Union; but no new State 
shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdic¬ 
tion of any other State; nor any State be 
formed by the Junction of two or more States, 
or parts of States, without the Consent of the 
Legislatures of the States concerned as well as 
of the Congress. 

The Congress shall have Power to dispose of 
and make all needful Rules and Regulations 
respecting the Territory or other Property be¬ 
longing to the United States; and nothing in 
this Constitution shall be so construed as to 


24 


Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or 
of any particular State. 

Section 4. The United States shall guarantee 
to every State in this Union a Republican Form 
of Government, and shall protect each of them 
against Invasion; and on Application of the 
Legislature, or of the Executive (when the 
Legislature cannot be convened) against do¬ 
mestic Violence. 

article v. 

The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both 
Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose 
Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the 
Application of the Legislatures of two-thirds 
of the several States, shall call a Convention 
for proposing Amendments, which, in either 
Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, 
as part of this Constitution, when ratified by 
the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several 
States, or by Conventions in three-fourths there¬ 
of, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification 
may be proposed by the Congress; Provided 
that no Amendment which may be made prior 
to the Year One thousand eight hundred and 
eight shall in any Manner affect the first and 
fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first 


25 


Article; and that no State, without its Consent, 
shall be deprived of it’s equal Suffrage in the 
Senate. 

ARTICLE VI. 

All Debts contracted and Engagements en¬ 
tered into, before the Adoption of this Consti¬ 
tution, shall be as valid against the United 
States under this Constitution, as under the 
Confederation. 

This Constitution, and the Laws of the 
United States which shall be made in Pursu¬ 
ance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which 
shall be made, under the Authority of the 
United States, shall be the supreme Law of the 
Land; and the Judges in every State shall be 
bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution 
or Laws of any State to the Contrary not¬ 
withstanding. 

The Senators and Representatives before 
mentioned, and the Members of the several 
State Legislatures, and all executive and judi¬ 
cial Officers, both of the United States and of 
the several States, shall be bound by Oath or 
Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but 
no religious Test shall ever be required as a 
Qualification to any Office or public Trust under 
the United States, 


26 


ARTICLE VII. 

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine 
States shall be sufficient for the Establishment 
of this Constitution between the States so rati¬ 
fying the Same. 

Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent 
of the States present the Seventeenth Day of 
September in the Year of our Lord one thou¬ 
sand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of 
the Independence of the United States of 
America the Twelfth. In Witness whereof 
We have hereunto subscribed our Names. 

Go WASHINGTON 
Presidt and deputy from Virginia 

New Hampshire. 

John Langdon 
Nicholas Gilman 

Massachusetts. 

Nathaniel Gorham 
Rufus King 

Connecticut. 

Wm Saml Johnson 
Roger Sherman 


27 




New York. 

Alexander Hamilton 

New Jersey. 

Wil: Livingston, 
David Brearley, 

Wm Patterson. 

Jona: Dayton. 

Pennsylvania. 

B. Franklin 
Robt. Morris 
Thos. Fitzsimons 
James Wilson 
Thomas Mifflin 
Geo. Clymer 
Jared Ingersoll 
Gouv Morris 

Delaware. 

Geo: Read 
John Dickinson 
Jaco: Broom 
Gunning Bedford jun 
Richard Bassett 


28 


Maryland. 

James McHenry 

Danl Carroll 

Dan : of St Thos Jenifer 

Virginia. 

John Blair— 

James Madison Jr. 

North Carolina. 

Wm Blount 
H u Williamson 
Richd Dobbs Spaight, 

South Carolina. 

J. Rutledge 
Charles Pinckney 
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney 
Pierce Butler. 

Georgia. 

William Few 
Abr Baldwin 
Attest: 

WILLIAM JACKSON, Secretary. 


29 


Articles in Addition To, and Amendment Of, 
the Constitution of the United States of 
America, Proposed by Congress, and Rati¬ 
fied by the Legislatures of the Several 
States, Pursuant to the Fifth Article of 
the Original Constitution. 

[article i.] 

Congress shall make no law respecting an 
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the 
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom 
of speech, or of the press; or the right of the 
people peaceably to assemble, and to petition 
the Government for a redress of grievances. 

[article ii.] 

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to 
the security of a free State, the right of the 
people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be 
infringed. 

[article III.] 

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quar¬ 
tered in any house, without the consent of 
the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a maimer 
to be prescribed by law. 


30 


[ARTICLE IV.] 

The right of the people to be secure in their 
persons, houses, papers, and effects, against 
unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not 
be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but 
upon probable cause, supported by Oath or 
affirmation, and particularly describing the 
place to be searched, and the persons or things 
to be seized. 

[article v.] 

No person shall be held to answer for a capi¬ 
tal, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a 
presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, 
except in cases arising in the land or naval 
forces, or in the Militia, when in actual serv¬ 
ice in time of War or public danger; nor shall 
any person be subject for the same offence to 
be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor 
shall be compelled in any criminal case to be 
a witness against himself, nor be deprived of 
life, liberty, or property, without due process 
of law; nor shall private property be taken for 
public use, without just compensation, 


31 


[ARTICLE VI.] 

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall 
enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by 
an impartial jury of the State and district 
wherein the crime shall have been committed, 
which district shall have been previously ascer¬ 
tained by law, and to be informed of the nature 
and cause of the accusation; to be confronted 
with the witnesses against him; to have com¬ 
pulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his 
favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel 
for his defence. 

[article vii.] 

Iri suits at common law, where the value in 
controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the 
right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and 
no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re¬ 
examined in any Court of the United States, 
than according to the rules of the common law. 

[article viii.] 

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor 
excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual 
punishments inflicted. 


32 


[ARTICLE IX.] 

The enumeration in the Constitution, of cer¬ 
tain rights, shall not be construed to deny or 
disparage others retained by the people. 

[article x.] 

The powers not delegated to the United 
States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it 
to the States, are reserved to the States re¬ 
spectively, or to the people. 

ARTICLE XI. 

The Judicial power of the United States 
shall not be construed to extend to any suit 
in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted 
against one of the United States by Citizens of 
another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of 
any Foreign State. 

ARTICLE XII. 

The Electors shall meet in their respective 
states and vote by ballot for President and 
Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall 
not be an inhabitant of the same state with 
themselves; they shall name in their ballots 
the person voted for as President, and in dis- 


33 


tinct ballots the person voted for as Vice- 
President, and they shall make distinct lists 
of all persons voted for as President, and of 
all persons voted for as Vice-President, and 
of the number of votes for each, which lists 
they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed 
to the seat of the government of the United 
States, directed to the President of the Sen¬ 
ate;—The President of the Senate shall, in 
presence of the Senate and House of Repre¬ 
sentatives, open all the certificates and the 
votes shall then be counted;—The person hav¬ 
ing the greatest number of votes for President, 
shall be the President, if such number be a 
majority of the whole number of Electors ap¬ 
pointed; and if no person have such majority, 
then from the persons having the highest num¬ 
bers not exceeding three on the list of those 
voted for as President, the House of Repre¬ 
sentatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, 
the President. But in choosing the President, 
the votes shall be taken by states, the repre¬ 
sentation from each state having one vote; a 
quorum for this purpose shall consist of a mem¬ 
ber or members from two-thirds of the states, 
and a majority of all the states shall be neces- 


34 


sary to a choice. And if the House of Repre¬ 
sentatives shall not choose a President when¬ 
ever the right of choice shall devolve upon 
them, before the fourth day of March next fol¬ 
lowing, then the Vice-President shall act as 
President, as in the case of the death or other 
constitutional disability of the President.— 
The person having the greatest number of votes 
as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, 
if such number be a majority of the whole num¬ 
ber of Electors appointed, and if no person 
have a majority, then from the two highest 
numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose 
the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose 
shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number 
of Senators, and a majority of the whole num¬ 
ber shall be necessary to a choice. But no per¬ 
son constitutionally ineligible to the office of 
President shall be eligible to that of Vice-Presi¬ 
dent of the United States. 

ARTICLE XIII. 

Section 1 . Neither slavery nor involuntary 
servitude, except as a punishment for crime 
whereof the party shall have been duly con- 


35 


victed, shall exist within the United States, or 
any place subject to their jurisdiction. 

Section 2. Congress shall have power to 
enforce this article by appropriate legislation. 

ARTICLE XIV. 

Section 1 . All persons born or naturalized 
in the United States, and subject to the juris¬ 
diction thereof, are citizens of the United 
States and of the State wherein they reside. 
No State shall make or enforce any law which 
shall abridge the privileges or immunities of 
citizens of the United States; nor shall any 
State deprive any person of life, liberty, or 
property, without due process of law; nor 
deny to any person within its jurisdiction the 
equal protection of the laws. 

Section. 2. Representatives shall be appor¬ 
tioned among the several States according to 
their respective numbers, counting the whole 
number of persons in each State, excluding In¬ 
dians not taxed. But when the right to vote 
at any election for the choice of electors for 
President and Vice-President of the United 
States, Representatives in Congress, the Execu¬ 
tive and Judicial officers of a State, or the 


36 


members of the Legislature thereof, is denied 
to any of the male inhabitants of such State, 
being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of 
the United States, or in any way abridged, 
except for participation in rebellion, or other 
crime, the basis of representation therein shall 
be reduced in the proportion which the number 
of such male citizens shall bear to the whole 
number of male citizens twenty-one years of 
age in such State. 

Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or 
Representative in Congress, or elector of Presi¬ 
dent and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil 
or military, under the United States, or under 
any State, who, having previously taken an 
oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer 
of the United States, or as a member of any 
State legislature, or as an executive or judicial 
officer of any State, to support the Constitution 
of the United States, shall have engaged in 
insurrection or rebellion against the same, or 
given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. 
But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of 
each House, remove such disability. 

Section 4. The validity of the public debt 
of the United States, authorized by law, in¬ 
cluding debts incurred for payment of pensions 


37 


and bounties for services in suppressing insur¬ 
rection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. 
But neither the United States nor any State 
shall assume or pay any debt or obligation in¬ 
curred in aid of insurrection or rebellion 
against the United States, or any claim for the 
loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such 
debts, obligations and claims shall be held 
illegal and void. 

Section 5. The Congress shall have power to 
enforce, by appropriate legislation, the pro¬ 
visions of this article. 

article xv. 

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United 
States to vote shall not be denied or abridged 
by the United States or by any State on ac¬ 
count of race, color, or previous condition of 
servitude— 

Section 2. The Congress shall have power 
to enforce this article by appropriate legisla¬ 
tion. 

article xvi. 

The Congress shall have power to lay and 
collect taxes on incomes, from whatever 
source derived, without apportionment among 


38 


the several States, and without regard to any 
census or enumeration. 

ARTICLE XVII. 

The Senate of the United States shall be 
composed of two Senators from each State, 
elected by the people thereof, for six years; 
and each Senator shall have one vote. The 
electors in each State shall have the qualifica¬ 
tions requisite for electors of the most numer¬ 
ous branch of the State legislatures. 

When vacancies happen in the representa¬ 
tion of any State in the Senate, the executive 
authority of such State shall issue writs of 
election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That 
the legislature of any State may empower the 
executive thereof to make temporary appoint¬ 
ments until the people fill the vacancies by 
election as the legislature may direct. 

This amendment shall not be so construed as 
to affect the election or term of any Senator 
chosen before it becomes valid as part of the 
Constitution. 


39 


ARTICLE XYIII. 

Section 1. After one year from the ratifica¬ 
tion of this article the manufacture, sale, or 
transportation of intoxicating liquors within, 
the importation thereof into, or the exporta¬ 
tion thereof from the United States and all 
territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for 
beverage purposes is hereby prohibited. 

Section 2. The Congress and the several 
States shall have concurrent power to enforce 
this article by appropriate legislation. 

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative 
unless it shall have been ratified as an amend¬ 
ment to the Constitution by the legislatures of 
the several States, as provided in the Constitu¬ 
tion, within seven years from the date of the 
submission hereof to the States by the Congress. 

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